The Aerosmith moment

This post dates to the 11th of August, the first night of my stay here.

I’m sure everyone here knows the Aerosmith song that goes :“I don’t wanna close my eyes, I don’t wanna fa-all aslee-eep, cuz I’d miss you babe, and I don’t wanna miss a thi-ing.“ Etcetera.

Real over the top sentiment.

That is exactly how I felt, what I was thinking, as I sat on the window sill gazing out over the lights of Florence at 11pm, my first night at the hostel (formerly 13th century hospital and 16th century monastery). This amazing old building is located on a hillside and overlooks rustic, hilly Tuscan farmland. And by farmland I mean olive groves left largely to their own devices.

Even as I write this now, some thirty minutes later, I am lying on my stomach facing the open window. This so that the deep purple-indigo sky and the twinkling row of lights of the city that mark where the sky starts a faded mid-purple, remain in view from the corner of one eye as I write, and right in front of me whenever I glance up away from the page.

An outsider’s glimpse of the Basque cause

Oh finally, some 5 months since I left Spain and 2 months since I wrote the first two of the series, I’ve completed the whole four like I wanted to. In case you have had an interest in this topic but have forgotten or missed previous bits because of my inconsistent posting habits, here are all the posts in one place:

Part I: What I experienced of it

Part II: The Basque – Spain clash

Part III: Being Basque in Basque Country

Part IV: So, why exactly?

Okay then, happy reading!

An outsider’s glimpse of the Basque cause [Part IV: So, why exactly?]

So, why exactly?

Many of the other foreign students at the language school expressed great difficulty in understanding or even in beginning to understand why Basque people want independence from Spain. In general, everyday life it doesn’t appear as if they are in danger of losing their cultural identity and uniqueness; their language is one of the oldest in the world, the entrenchment of their roots is not exactly in question here. Furthermore it is assumed that any new, independent state would be much worse off economically, and would probably have to depend on Spain anyway. So why do they demand more?

Here is my own cobbled-together representation of the Basque perspective:

They truly do not feel Spanish, in fact it could even be said that while they can recognise it, the Spanish identity is something that would be alien for them to take on. They know what they want, and believe that their priorities and way of going about things are different to Spain’s. There’s almost the sense that they should have independence because it is inevitable, because they are that sure that they are ready to be a coherent state of their own. There is absolutely no air of desperation or bravado, not even in their persistently strong displays of activism; instead the impression is that they are matter-of-fact in stating what they require. It’s quite curious because on one hand there is much cynicism about Spain’s motives and views of the Basque Country; on the other, they give off the vibe that they are just waiting for the full deal that they know Spain will end up giving to them.

While I have felt a natural immediate empathy for the desire of the Basque people to have independence from Spain, for a long while I didn’t have a grounded sense of understanding as to the Why. To a Basque person it is obvious, they are not Spanish. But I in myself don’t understand what it feels like to feel part of a group, let alone part of a group that is involuntarily under the dominion of another. So I sat down one day and spent a bit of time writing out ideas for why a people might want independence and not be content with recognition.

“Why would you feel like you needed a state of your own?”

An outsider’s glimpse of the Basque cause [Part III: Being Basque in Basque Country]

As has been true for this series so far, when speaking about Basque Country and people I am referring to that land and people found within the borders of Spain. My time in French Basque Country has confirmed that the atmosphere and the way that Basque identity is expressed is very different in the two countries. Whereas in Basque Country in Spain it is taken for granted that you are in and surrounded by Basqueness, in Basque Country in France the word “Basque”, its symbols such as the basque beret, emblem, and flag are splashed across signs, shops, brochures and pamphlets…. So many neat Basque tourist activities you can take part in! So many cute Basque accoutrements to be had! Sell sell sell sell…

Being Basque in Basque Country

To boil it down it seemed to me that being Basque in Basque Country meant being proud of the fact and demonstrating it in some way.

Is being socially conscious and engaged in activism inevitable? Does someone demonstrate their pride because they are Basque and can’t help it; or do they do so in order to prove that they are truly Basque?